Moving on: Ashlee Simpson manages a smile as she spends time with son Bronx following parents" divorce announcement

Moving on: Ashlee Simpson manages a smile as she spends time with son Bronx following parents' divorce announcement

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UPDATED:

08:37 GMT, 29 October 2012

She is said to have been left devastated after her parents announced they were divorcing following 34 years of marriage.

But after sparking concern with her sombre attitude and gaunt figure last week following the announcement, Ashlee Simpson now seems to be taking the news in her stride.

The 28-year-old star managed a smile as she spent time with her two-year-old son Bronx ahead of celebrating Halloween.

Moving on: Ashlee Simpson managed a smile as she stepped out with her two-year-old son Bronx in Toluca Lake on Saturday, and appeared in better spirits following news of her parents' divorce

Wearing a cute knitted yellow jumper and black jeans, Ashlee looked in good spirits on the day out in Toluca Lake, California.

She teamed her outfit with a pair of brown boots and mirrored sunglasses, leaving her peroxide blonde hair loose in a messy up do.

Meanwhile, Bronx got into the festive spirit in a Spider-Man outfit, sucking on a lollipop as he bounced along next to his mother.

And it was certainly a fun day out for the pair, who grabbed a burger for lunch before heading to a local Halloween store to pick up costumes ahead of the weekend.

Family time: The pair went out for a burger lunch before picking up some Halloween supplies at a local store

Ashlee's cheery appearance was a far cry from the way she looked stepping out just after her parents Tina and Joe announced they were splitting.

The former singer has sparked concerned with her tiny frame, and refused to smile for the photographers.

It has been claimed that Ashlee and her sister Jessica are struggling to cope in the wake of the announcement.

Following the news, a spokesperson came forward to deny reports the pair are ending their marriage because Joe is gay.

He's behind you! The pair were seen walking ahead of a man dressed up in a scary outfit for Halloween

A statement read: 'Tina and Joe Simpson have filed for divorce. It is an amicable split and there is no third party involved.

'Any other related allegations are completely false. The family appreciates your respect for their privacy at this time.'

The carefully worded statement did not outright deny the National Enquirer report he had recently 'came out of the closet' during a family meeting two months ago however.

The story is continuing to develop, with Radar reporting Jessica was completely blindsided by her father’s alleged bombshell.

Dramatic change: Joe Simpson debuted his drastic new post-split look as he stepped out in Los Angeles on Friday

An insider said: 'Jessica had absolutely no clue that her father was gay, not even the slightest inkling.

'It was a complete shock to the system, she feels terribly for her mom who was left reeling by the announcement and her sister Ashlee has also taken the news quite badly.'

It has also since been claimed that Joe, 54, has been dating Bryce Chandler Hill, who at 21 is 33 years his junior, on and off for about a year.

A source allegedly told Radar Online that Bryce and Joe were introduced by a mutual friend, who is close to Joe’s famous daughters Jessica and Ashlee.

Happier times: Joe and Tina with daughter Ashlee at the premiere of The Dukes Of Hazzard back in 2005

Sparking concern: Ashlee had already prompted concern with her sombre attitude and gaunt figure as she stepped out just after the divorce announcement

The insider reportedly told the website: ‘Joe Simpson being outed by the National Enquirer was no surprise to the gay community in Hollywood, Bryce has been bragging about hooking up with Joe for a while now.

‘Bryce is close to TJ Espinoza, who in turn is good friends with both Jessica and Ashlee and worked for Britney Spears as a back-up dancer.’

The source added: ‘TJ introduced Bryce to the Simpsons – and that’s how he met Joe.’

Bryce then denied the allegations when he posted on his Twitter page on Friday: 'Yes, I've read the story….it's simply NOT TRUE.'